7 Powerful Everyday Habits To Make You Smarter

#KredXMondayMotivation

Let’s face it, not everybody is born a smart cookie, but yet there are some who seem to have it all. One word. Habits. Habits are incredibly powerful and can either make or break your life. But don’t fall for that “21 days to a new habit” myth. There’s no magic number that will turn your life around. It’s hard work, but one that pays off and can turn around your life for the better. So, how can you up your game? Here’s how!

Powerful Everyday Habits That Will Make You Smarter

Don’t bottle up your curiosity

Don’t just blindly believe every bit of information served to you on a platter or conventional wisdom. Learn to understand the facts and form an opinion from them. Ask questions to satisfy your curiosity and make informed decisions. It’s no fun to follow the rat race. Keep your eyes and mind open for little clues that other miss out. Not only will you find yourself being far more informed, it’ll also keep you a step ahead of the others who don’t bother to stop and think for themselves.

Read, read, read!

No, reading or skimming through your social media news feed doesn’t count. We’re talking about books, newspapers, research articles relevant to your interests. We know this can be a little much to begin at one go. Take baby steps and set aside 30 minutes every day to read something substantial that will contribute to your knowledge. You needn’t start out with research papers and articles right away. Begin with books that supplement your information and newspapers that keep you informed of the current happenings around you. Some of the most successful people in the world like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, et al, are avid readers and dedicate a part of their days to reading. Compelling enough reason?

Rise early

Make an effort to rising with the sun. Not only does it have a number of benefits on the human body, but most of the influential people across the world follow this as a rule of thumb. Now for some name dropping; Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, Pepsi’s CEO Indra Nooyi, Virgin Group’s Richard Branson, etc. are all early risers. It gives you a head start to your day, lets you get some thinking done without much distraction, plan out your day and gives you some much needed time to take care of your mind and body. We’re not talking about sudden PM to AM changes in your routine. The key here again is baby steps while making sure you don’t shock your body. Try to time your sleep in such a way that you get a healthy 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

Network right

Networking can be very powerful and influential to your success in life. Don’t shy away from meeting the right people, whether it be in real life or simply by following influential people on social media. Knowing the who’s who of the industry can go a long way in helping you and your brand grow. Don’t hesitate to make the first move in approaching influencers or potential mentors. Think about it, what’s the worst that can happen? Either they don’t respond, or better yet, they respond! Start attending industry events and introduce yourself to people, especially those you look up to.

Hang out with people smarter than you

Remember the people you met at that industry event? Meet up with them, go on a walk with them, catch up with them at other events, etc. By being around people who inspire you, you learn a lot and are forced to think like them. Slowly and eventually, this will help you up your game and think like the who’s who.

Get out of your comfort zone

Stage fright? Get up there and share your knowledge with a crowd. Bathroom singer? Start performing for your friends! Face your fears and expand the boundaries of your comfort zone. You’ll be surprised by the positive responses you receive. And even if you aren’t good at it, in the beginning, keep at it and improve, you would at least be motivating others like you to face their fears!

Set aside some quiet time

Make sure you set aside some time every day to simply contemplate or better still, meditate. If you’re not the kind to meditate, it’s okay to simply sit quietly and get in touch with your thoughts and streamline them. Work out sometime when you can get undivided, undistracted time without any disturbance.kr

While working on these, remember to not ignore your physical and mental health in the process. Create a daily routine incorporating these 7 powerful habits into it and witness yourself transform into a new, improved version of yourself!